Index card in selective card-sorting system



y 1950 A. A. REMBOLD 2,515,424

INDEX CARD IN SELECTIVE CARD-SORTING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 5, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

ALBERT A. REMBOLD BY ATTORNEYS divisions.

Patented July 18, 1950 "UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INDEX CARD 1 SELECT-IVE CARD-SORTING SYSTEM AlbertA. Reinhold, San Francisco, Calif.

Application November 5, 1948, Serial No. 58,496

3 Claims.

of each card. By slotting out certain of the openings to said edge, while leaving others onslotted, a large number of'difterent combinations of slotted and unslotted openings mayxbe made. When cards formed to provide thesecombinationsare arranged in a horizontal row with the corresponding openings in registration, the 'moval' of desired cards from the row is effected by thrusting one or more needles through one or moreof the registering openings. "When more than one needle is used, they are thrust through combinations of the coded openings. By elevatingthe horizontally elongated needles-one or more cards will be released from the row and others will be suspended from the needles.

' "Several methods of sorting are employed;.but the physical operation of thrusting the needles through registering openings and then elevating the needles, is common to all.

1 Most cards used in selectivesorting systems are marginally punched along several of the edges, and in most of said systems, there areindex cards that. divide the rows into-various: sections. or These index cards may have an upper upstanding tab or margin that is visible'to the operator, and on which the data or datum identitying a division or section appears.

"In the sorting operation, one or several suhdivisions may be in a drawer or support, and groups of the cards in amounts that-are conveniently sorted may be placed'in a sorting tray or the like, wherethey are aligned and the needles inserted to effect a release of the desired cards'when the needles are elevated.

Heretofore, it has been customary to remove theindex cards, w'henthe cards are inverted to position their lower edges uppermost for a sorting operation in which the marginally punched and slotted openings along the lower edge of the cards is used. The reason for this is that when the upstanding tabs on the index cards are lowermost, and rest on the bottom of the sorting tray, the remaining cards will shift downwardly so as to also be supported on the bottom. Thus, any

, '2 I openings for any purpose that might have been punched in the index cards that might register with the openings, in the remaining cardsv when thecards are uprightv before inversion, would be covered by-a blank area on the index cards and the needles would .be obstructed from passing through the cards, although Iknow of no such openings having heretofore been provided in .indexcards.

One of the objects of this invention is the provision of index cards in a card sorting system of the character described in which said cards may remain in the row of cards at all times without obstructingthe passage of the needles.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description and in the drawings.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of one of the index cards of this invention in its normal upright position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary isometric view of several cards in a selective card sorting system that includes one index card in its normal upright position, all of said cards being on several sorting needles, and the cards being spaced apart slightly for clarity.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of "Fig. 2, but one in which the cards are inverted. The same cardsare shown in said view as in Fig. '2, but only one needle is illustrated.

In detail,.-the index card is indicatedv at i, and other cards of the system are designated 2.

Cards 2 are customarily punched out along their margins to form-marginally punched openings ,3, 4 respectively along the upper and lower edges of the cards 2, and marginally punched openings 5, 6 respectively along the upper and lower edges ofthe index cards I have not heretofore been provided in index cards, but maybe formed in carryingout this invention. The opposite vertically extending marginal portions of all of the cards may be punched in the same manner as is shown.

As a result of the above operation, when a row of cards is in the drawer or sorting tray, the tabs or upper margins I of the index cards I will be elevated above the remaining cards in the row, and the identifying letters, numbers 01' symbols ii on said tabs will be visible.

When' the cards are inverted so as to perform the sorting operation in which the openings 4 in the cards 2 are used, it will be obvious that all of the cards 2 will move downwardly relative to index cards I so that their lowermost edges will be supported on the tray. This movement will cause the openings 4 to move out of registration with the openings 6 in the index cards and the needles 9 (Figs. 2, 3) would be stopped by the blank marginal portions of the index cards to prevent the sorting operation, unless some provision were made to enable the needles to pass.

Provision for passing the needles is made by forming openings in cards I that are adjacent openings 6 but which openings will register with the openings 4 in cards 2 when the cards are inverted. By this structure, it will be seen that the openings 6 will register with openings 4 when the cards are upright, and openings 10 will register with openings 4 when the cards are inverted and when the lower edges of the inverted cards I, 2 are in alignment. I-Ieretofore, insofar as I am aware, index cards have never been formed with marginally punched openings along their lower edges that are adapted to register with the marginally punched openings along the lower edges of other cards, such as cards 2, irrespective of whether the cards are uprightor inverted.

his to be understood thatwhen the front side of the sorting tray (not shown) is left open, an

- operator may insert the sorting needles through ation the index cards do not have to be removed,

but the step is so awkward and difficult that most operators might consider it preferable to remove the index cards before sorting in order to prevent possible injury to the margins 7 that'would project below the" row after inversion of the cards,

should the row of suspended cards be dropped onto a table. Neither openings 6; nor l0, nor 5 have heretofore been provided.

The provision whereby the openings I!) will register with openings 4 when the cards are insired, and it also eliminates the necessity for J removing the index cards should the operator wish to la the inverted row of cards on the bottom of the tray, or table. However, the operator may still employ the first system mentioned, if he or she so desires, which heretofore has not been possible, insofar asI am aware.

The term tab used herein is not tobe restricted to a limited portion of an index card along its upper edge, but is intended to constitute either such portion or the entire upper marginal portion of each card that projects above the remaining cards in the row.

The data bearing cards, such'as cards 2, will be called data cards in the claims to'distinguish them fromthe index cards.

I claim:

1. In a selection card system that includes vertically disposed data cards of the same shape and size formed with corresponding marginally punched coded openings in rows extending along the upper and lower edges respectivelyof said data cards; said cards being in a row with their openings in registration with each other and with their upper and lower edges'in alignment in direction longitudinally of said row of cards,

an index card in said row having its lower edge in alignment with the other cards of said row and having a tab projecting upwardly above said row, a first row of openings formed in said index card spaced from said tab and positioned to register with the openings of the upper row on said data cards, a second row of openings formed in said index card along its lower edge positioned to register with the lowf'openirigs insaid data cards when said data "and index cards are inverted with their upper edges lowermost and in alignment longitudinally of said row of cards. 2. In a selection card system that includes vertically disposed data cards of the same shape and size formed with corresponding marginally punched coded openings in rows extending along the upper and lower edges respectively of said data cards, said cards being in a row with their openings in registration with each other and with their upper and lower edges in alignment in direction longitudinally of said'rowof cards, an index card in saidrow having its lower edge in alignment with'the other cards of said row and having a tabprojecting upwardly above said row, a first row of openings formed in'said index card spaced from. said tab and positioned to register with the openings of the upper row on said'data cards, a second-row of openings formed in said index card along its lower edge positioned to register with the lower openings in said data cards whin said data and index cards are inverted with their upper edges lowermost and in alignment longitudinally of said row of cards, a third row of openings formed in said index card along the lower edge'-thereof positioned to register with the lower openings of the lower rows of openings in saiddata cards when the lower edges of said data and said index-cards are in alignment longitudinally of said row of cards.

3. In a selection card system that includes vertically disposed data cards of the same shape and size formed with corresponding marginally punched coded openings in rows extending along the upper and-lower edges respectively of said data cards,said cards'being in. azrowwith their openings in registration with each other and with their upper and lower edges in alignment in direction longitudinally of said'row'of' cardspan index card in said row having its lower edge in alignment with the other cards of said row and having a tab projecting upwardly-above said row, a first rowof openings formed in said index card spaced from said tab andpositioned to register with the openings of the upper row on said data cards, a second row of-openings formed in. said index card along i its =1oweredge positioned I to register with the lower openings in-said data cards when said data and index cards-are inverted with their upper edges lowermost and in alignment longitudinally of said row of cards, certain of the openings along' the upper and lower rows of openings in ."said data cards being slotted out to the edgeadjacent thereto, and'non'e ofthe said openings in said index card being slotted ALBERT AJ'REMBOLDA No references cited. v} 1 

